1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand held video games, and more particularly, to a combined light/magnifier assembly for the hand held video games devices for enhancing the viewing experience during game playing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Compact computers and video game devices having video viewing screens are becoming more and more popular and typically comprise hand-held portable, battery-operated devices. The viewing screen is typically a liquid crystal display (LCD) that is generally flat and displays information and or provides the screen for playing video games. Such compact computers and video games may include, but are not limited to: calculators, computer video games, lap top computers, and other computers where a variety of software is employed. In particular, compact video games, such as the compact video game systems known as GAME BOY(trademark), GAME BOY POCKET(trademark) and GAME BOY COLOR(trademark) (Trademarks of Nintendo of America), are completely self-sustained video game systems which may be operated by interchangeably employing a collection from a library of software game packs. These Nintendo video game systems provide a compact, self-contained, battery-operated, portable hand-held computer with a cross key joy stick (directional-pad or D-pad) to operate the game start and select buttons, action buttons and an LCD-type screen, together with volume controls so as to display and enable the user to display images and play games.
While video display screens are employed and typically include a flat LCD-type screen, such LCD-type display screens are often difficult to observe by the user in partial or low light conditions, such as, for example, automobiles, planes, trains, buses, and the like due to the lack of illumination on the LCD screen to permit suitable contrast during use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,091,832 and 5,325,280 show a light apparatus for use with compact computer screens. As shown and described, the body includes an open video space designed to be the same size as the LCD video screen of the compact computer apparatus. The body includes a pair of sloped or angled white colored side panels and a top and bottom side panel and the white or light colored panels extending directly generally perpendicular to the video screen rather than sloped as illustrated for the side panels. The top side panel is integral with and extends from the bottom molded section of the body when the body sections are matingly engaged to form the body, the top panel with the panels on the top section then form a rectangular, open video viewing space of the apparatus.
The light apparatus includes a pair of light bulbs placed on either side of sloping panels and which side panels also include a short, solid, upward extending light shield so as to prevent the direct glare of the light bulbs onto the LCD screen and to provide for indirect lighting through reflection on the light-colored side panels onto the LCD viewing screen.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,117,339 and 5,165,779 disclose combined light and magnifier devices for hand-held computers with video screens. Each of these patents show a battery operated light assembly that is mounted to a separate assembly mounted adjacent the view screen and spaced from the magnifier lens. The devices shown in these patents are adapted to provide a screen magnifier while also providing additional light to the screen for playing in low light conditions.
Unfortunately, the use of an LCD screen in these hand-held video game devices makes the illumination of the same difficult. The primary reason for this difficulty is due to the fact that the plastic cover to the actual LCD screen is generally of a high-gloss finish, and as such has a tendency to reflect light. This reflection of light primarily occurs when the light shines substantially directly onto the screen, and thus, the high-gloss screen cover prevents the light from penetrating the cover and thereby illuminating the LCD screen.
In all of the aforementioned patents, the lighting assembly utilizes light sources which are oppositely positioned within the solid frame surrounding the viewing screen, The use of white or light colored frame sides is implemented in an effort to diffuse the light before projected onto the screen, however, neither the white or light colored sides of the frame prevent spotting or xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d caused by the illumination of the incandescent bulb immediately adjacent the viewing screen. As such, the incandescent bulb, in the area of disposition, causes a glare spot or xe2x80x9chot spotxe2x80x9d on the high-gloss cover to the actual LCD display screen. Thus, the user""s view is obstructed and not increased in these hot spot areas. Furthermore, dark spots are created on the screen where the additional light is not effectively distributed across the screen. In view of these drawbacks of the prior art patents, it would be desirable to provide a lighting assembly for a hand-held computer gaming device that does not have any screen xe2x80x9chot spotsxe2x80x9d or dark spots, and actually works to increase the viewing of the display screen.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved lighting assembly for hand-held video games that does not cause xe2x80x9chot spotxe2x80x9d or other glaring effects from the use of light source to illuminate the LCD display.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved lighting assembly for hand-held video games that effectively utilizes reflection techniques to efficiently illuminate the LCD display screen of the game device.
In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, the magnifying light assembly includes a frame opening substantially corresponding in size to the size of the compact computer video screen; a light source disposed in a side of the frame opening for projecting light toward an opposing side of said frame opening; and an adjustable reflective surface disposed at the opposing side of the frame opening and adapted to reflect the received light in a substantially evenly diffused configuration toward the video screen. Other preferred contemplated embodiments include a curved reflective surface, such as, for example, concave, convex, compound convex or a reflective surface having a simple radius of curvature.